I have an old Felt B14 (with no upgrades) and just kicking tires wondering what the benefit would be if I upgraded to one of Felt's more premium frames.

Specifically, does anyone have an opinion if the IA 1 frame ($4,500 frame only per website) is worth the huge price jump from the IA 10 frame ($2,500)?

There doesn't seem like there is a happy medium between the $2,500-$7,000 price point. At that point you might as well save for a super bike frame like the specialized shiv, scott plasma, or Felt's FRD frame?

There is a great post in one of the IA threads that summarizes the differences and trade-offs very well. I could not find it, so here is what I remember. (I have an IA 16.)

Higher grade of carbon in the IA 1 (lighter and stiffer)

Integrated cockpit in the IA 1 (more aero, but harder to break down for travel)

Integrated brakes in the IA 1 (more aero, but harder to adjust)

If Devox is included, it is highly adjustable and very good

I could not figure out if the IA 1 frameset comes with the carbon Devox cockpit. (It is pictured with the cockpit on the Felt site.) If so, that is a huge price advantage that narrows the value gap between the two.

There is a great post in one of the IA threads that summarizes the differences and trade-offs very well. I could not find it, so here is what I remember. (I have an IA 16.)

Higher grade of carbon in the IA 1 (lighter and stiffer)

Integrated cockpit in the IA 1 (more aero, but harder to break down for travel)

Integrated brakes in the IA 1 (more aero, but harder to adjust)

If Devox is included, it is highly adjustable and very good

I could not figure out if the IA 1 frameset comes with the carbon Devox cockpit. (It is pictured with the cockpit on the Felt site.) If so, that is a huge price advantage that narrows the value gap between the two.

The integrated brake on the IA1 may not actually be faster than the 1A10 frame. The Devox aero bar is fast and has lots of adjustment, but it does not allow you tilt the extensions with the pads. This may allow a much faster position that makes up for using a slower aero bar that does allow this.

ERO loves the IA10 and are big advocates of it, over most of the superbikes even. With their experience with fit and aero testing, their opinion is pretty valuable.

There doesn't seem like there is a happy medium between the $2,500-$7,000 price point. At that point you might as well save for a super bike frame like the specialized shiv, scott plasma, or Felt's FRD frame?

I forgot to comment on this question... The Felt IA is a super bike frame by its design and geometry. The wickedly cool thing Felt is doing is that they have the IA10 version which gives super bike geometry and design at a much lower price point. Specialized is doing the same with their Shiv. You could call the top tier bikes "super duper" bikes, where the "duper" is better carbon and integrated front ends on some.

The IA10 is a great deal. Being able to tilt the pads along with the extensions is a definite plus.

Another difference that wasnt pointed out is the IA10 has more bottle cage/accessory mounting positions. It has 3 additional bolts on the downtube, and 2 behind the seat tube. Rumor has it Felt is releasing some accessories this month, probably a storage box and maybe a few other things. I currently use a Trek draftbox behind the seat tube on my IA10, and am hoping Felt's box mounts lower.

The IA10 is really a no-brainer here. Likely faster overall than the "high end" IA's, more adjustable with better geometry and, as jshanney pointed out, more options for hydration/storage. I'm not sure why anyone would choose anything other than an IAx series frame to be honest. Jim Manton / ERO Sports / ERO Insight

The IA10 is a great deal. Being able to tilt the pads along with the extensions is a definite plus.

Another difference that wasnt pointed out is the IA10 has more bottle cage/accessory mounting positions. It has 3 additional bolts on the downtube, and 2 behind the seat tube. Rumor has it Felt is releasing some accessories this month, probably a storage box and maybe a few other things. I currently use a Trek draftbox behind the seat tube on my IA10, and am hoping Felt's box mounts lower.

Pretty sure the Trek SpeedBox or the Quintana Roo Qbox will fit the bosses on the IA10. I had an IA1 and now a FRD, if I was shopping today I would lean heavily towards the IA10, set up with TriRig front and rear. deep front wheel, disc rear....pretty fast rig for a small comparative price in superbikes.

Before you ditch the Vision Trimax brake on the IA10 for a Tririg, check what Jim@ero said about it in the IAxx thread. No difference in aero performance. And it stops like a real dual pivot brake. --------------------------- Busy Spending My Children's Inheritance!

I believe Felt said that the actual IAx frame in its self is a little more aero than the "older" IA, but once you add aero bar, brakes and stuff, the IA comes out on top. With a clean set-up the IAx is probably just as fast or faster. The IA looks better though ;D

I have the IA model and it's not really difficult to travel with at all.

Before you ditch the Vision Trimax brake on the IA10 for a Tririg, check what Jim@ero said about it in the IAxx thread. No difference in aero performance. And it stops like a real dual pivot brake.

Yep, I for one am more than happy with the Trimax brake. It's not quite as pretty as the TriRig but it stops me very well. It's be great if the brake was a little slimmer as there is undoubtedly a little turbulence off the back of the brake (bluff brake body, rounded frame LE) but it's not terrible and for all I know (not having seen one in person) the TriRig brake is similar in this respect?! I definitely wouldn't be writing off the stock brake on the assumption the TriRig is an improvement.

On the subject of IAx brakes... A few key considerations from my experience:

1) The IA 16 brakes are really bad. To anyone who gets an IA 16, I highly recommend a brake swap. They feel spongy because I think they are made of cheap stamped pot iron. You can make a vast improvement with just a move to Ultegra brakes for under $100 total. Or, next level up could be the Vision Trimax like from the rest of the IAx line. I went with the Tririg for all of its marketing claims: aero, adjustability, cosmetics, mechanical leverage, etc.

2) The rear brake cable routing is not good with the Bayonet 3 bars. The cable passes into the stem and under a cosmetic plate and then takes a hard turn into the frame. If the plate is tightened too much, it will crush the brake cable. The factory assembles this, not the LBS, and mine was crushed. I replaced my rear brake cable and vastly improved brake feel. I have the plate much looser now, until I get a future cockpit upgrade with better cable management.

3) The rear brake has an in-line barrel adjuster between the bars and the stem. The space is tight, and the cable needs to curve between the bar outlet and the stem inlet. The result is that the barrel adjuster causes additional friction in the rear brake line. I left that in when I replaced the cables, but I will be getting rid of that shortly with another cable replacement.

4) The Felt brake levers are pretty good. In my quest for improved braking, I also upgraded to the Shimano BL-TT78 brake levers. They are nice, but I do not think that they materially improve braking strength over the Felt levers.

On the subject of IAx brakes... A few key considerations from my experience:

1) The IA 16 brakes are really bad. To anyone who gets an IA 16, I highly recommend a brake swap. They feel spongy because I think they are made of cheap stamped pot iron. You can make a vast improvement with just a move to Ultegra brakes for under $100 total. Or, next level up could be the Vision Trimax like from the rest of the IAx line. I went with the Tririg for all of its marketing claims: aero, adjustability, cosmetics, mechanical leverage, etc.

2) The rear brake cable routing is not good with the Bayonet 3 bars. The cable passes into the stem and under a cosmetic plate and then takes a hard turn into the frame. If the plate is tightened too much, it will crush the brake cable. The factory assembles this, not the LBS, and mine was crushed. I replaced my rear brake cable and vastly improved brake feel. I have the plate much looser now, until I get a future cockpit upgrade with better cable management.

3) The rear brake has an in-line barrel adjuster between the bars and the stem. The space is tight, and the cable needs to curve between the bar outlet and the stem inlet. The result is that the barrel adjuster causes additional friction in the rear brake line. I left that in when I replaced the cables, but I will be getting rid of that shortly with another cable replacement.

4) The Felt brake levers are pretty good. In my quest for improved braking, I also upgraded to the Shimano BL-TT78 brake levers. They are nice, but I do not think that they materially improve braking strength over the Felt levers.

I forgot the IA16 doesn't come with the Trimax brake (mine's an IA14) so when I spoke about the stock brake, I meant the Trimax!

I'm surprised to hear you say the factory install the rear brake cable because mine is routed very badly. I think perhaps the vendor re-routed it as I'd requested right hand front braking. The rear brake cable passes through the stem from left to right but is not routed through the length of the stem. It enters the frame vertically in front of the Calpac and squeeks badly when the handlebar is turned. It's rubbing badly and has abraded the plastic outer layer entirely off part of the cable sleeve leaving only the inner metal coil. I intend to re-route it myself as soon as I get time in the next week or so. Anyone got good advice on how best to do this? I haven't investigated yet but I presume the cable is fully sleeved within the frame and it'll be straightforward to pull out the existing inner, correct the problem section of the outer and slide in a new inner cable? Is that correct?

I'm surprised to hear you say the factory install the rear brake cable because mine is routed very badly. I think perhaps the vendor re-routed it as I'd requested right hand front braking. The rear brake cable passes through the stem from left to right but is not routed through the length of the stem. It enters the frame vertically in front of the Calpac and squeeks badly when the handlebar is turned. It's rubbing badly and has abraded the plastic outer layer entirely off part of the cable sleeve leaving only the inner metal coil. I intend to re-route it myself as soon as I get time in the next week or so. Anyone got good advice on how best to do this? I haven't investigated yet but I presume the cable is fully sleeved within the frame and it'll be straightforward to pull out the existing inner, correct the problem section of the outer and slide in a new inner cable? Is that correct?

Yuck, your brake routing totally sucks. But, it is pretty easy to fix. I replaced all of the cable housings on mine. There is not a sleeve inside the bar-- it is just two tubes welded together with an opening at the rear of the extension into the main bar. I put about a 30 degree bend in the brake housing, about 1/2" from the end. Then, I fed it in from the rear opening. The slight bend was enough to fish the cable through the turn into the extension tube. I got it on the first try. Then, after the cable is all the way through, cut off the portion of the bend for a clean end.

The routing issue through the stem is more a design problem than factory installation. The design is optimized to crush the cable unless the installer is careful with the routing underneath that plate and how tight they make the cover plate. I have a serious man crush on the Alpha X bars because I love the look and I think the cable handling is vastly superior to the Bayonet 3. But, I will probably do that upgrade last on my bike, after I get power and wheels.

I am not sure about the IAxx models but I was told by a Felt rep at Oceanside that they were replacing rear brakes on IA frd and IA1s who were having issues with sticking/ bad acting. Mine has been fine.

The reason I recommend the TriRigs is not so much the aero properties (which I think are pretty good and I know Jim does as well) but the ability to dial in an exact rim contact...especially for those who swap training and race wheels in and out. The rear Felt brake really fails at a precise fit in my opinion. And this is coming from a guy who had a B10/ DA and 2 IAs...DA being the worse rear brake of any bike I have ever owned. But I did love the rest of it!

I can tell you that on my IA16 the brake cables were not installed at the factory. When it came out of the box, the base bar was separate with the cables rolled up. The bike shop mechanic has to run the cables through the stem and frame. I have no issues at all with how my rear brake works.

I never used the front brake that came with the IA16. From what I have seen elsewhere, the problem is with the brake pads. If you switch the pads out to KoolStop it is supposed to make a big improvement. I got a Vision Trimax from someone who ''upgraded'' to a Tririg. I don't know where you would buy one buy Jim@ERO has said that it costs $90.

Here is a picture of the aerobar as it comes out of the box:

You see that nothing is cabled from the factory. At least not on my bike. --------------------------- Busy Spending My Children's Inheritance!

I can tell you that on my IA16 the brake cables were not installed at the factory. When it came out of the box, the base bar was separate with the cables rolled up. The bike shop mechanic has to run the cables through the stem and frame. I have no issues at all with how my rear brake works.

Thank you for the pic and comments. I will gently call-out my LBS owner for telling me the brake housings were factory assembled. (Although in his defense, he may have been thinking about the cables inside the bars and not the long cable through the frame. It looks like one of his guys likely over-clamped the little cosmetic cover plate on the stem. It is still a bad design, in my humble opinion. I saved the smashed cable, and I plan to show him when I go back in for a fit touch-up.

The issue with the front brake is that the calipers softer, thin metal that can flex more easily than a typical Shimano or comparable caliper. Pads may have been an issue as well, but you could feel the mushiness in the basic mechanical action.

I never used the front brake that came with the IA16. From what I have seen elsewhere, the problem is with the brake pads. If you switch the pads out to KoolStop it is supposed to make a big improvement. I got a Vision Trimax from someone who ''upgraded'' to a Tririg. I don't know where you would buy one buy Jim@ERO has said that it costs $90.

My main issue with the IA brakes have to do with the rear brake on my IA10. The Shimano 105 direct mount brake has no quick release. I ride 25mm tires and if they are fully inflated they don't easily fit between the brake pads. At home or during training its not a big deal, but if I flat during a race I'll probably forget to reinstall the wheel before fully inflating the tire.

My main issue with the IA brakes have to do with the rear brake on my IA10. The Shimano 105 direct mount brake has no quick release. I ride 25mm tires and if they are fully inflated they don't easily fit between the brake pads. At home or during training its not a big deal, but if I flat during a race I'll probably forget to reinstall the wheel before fully inflating the tire.

My main issue with the IA brakes have to do with the rear brake on my IA10. The Shimano 105 direct mount brake has no quick release. I ride 25mm tires and if they are fully inflated they don't easily fit between the brake pads. At home or during training its not a big deal, but if I flat during a race I'll probably forget to reinstall the wheel before fully inflating the tire.

There might be enough room by the brake with the side pull 105. I swapped to the center pull Omega X, so the cable exits the frame and immediately enters the Omega cable hanger. So, I would not be able to install a quick release down there.

The easy option is in the short cable length between the base bar and stem. Depending on the length of the in-line barrel quick release, it might be OK there. Though, that junction is kind of tight and introduces brake line friction. The other area I am thinking about the space where the cable ducks into the frame, between the stem and calack box. If I carved out the leading edge of the box a little to give finger access to the QR, that might do it, and keep it hidden.

For my interim work-around, I have the Tririg brakes set with the pads a little further away from the rims. This works OK, because my Shimano BL-TT78 brake levers have a pretty high pull ratio, and the tririgs are also have a mechanical advantage to make quick contact with the rims. But, I much prefer pads close to the brake track.

Finally caught up with all this talk. Safe to say the IA 10/14/16 are essentially the same frames/carbon only that the difference is in the components of the full build and paint scheme?

I'm on the fence about getting a new frame to put my old components into. I like the idea of the integrated front end, but I've to admit I'm not the best wrench around and would like a different aero bar.

Safe to say the IA 10/14/16 are essentially the same frames/carbon only that the difference is in the components of the full build and paint scheme?

That is correct. The underlying frame is exactly the same for all three.

TriZen wrote:

I like the idea of the integrated front end, but I've to admit I'm not the best wrench around and would like a different aero bar.

The Bayonet 3 bar on the IA 10/14/16 is actually very good. Tririg did their aero test of this and a couple others against The Alpha X, and the Bayonet 3 is one of the best. It is also very adjustible. Its big downsides are looks (not carbon) and weight (not carbon).

You can also easily swap out the cockpit. I plan to do an Alpha X upgrade on mine after I get a few other upgrades knocked out.